Success for surface ship support

22 Jan 20142014-01-22T01:00:00+01:00

BAE Systems has signed a £6million contract to extend its support to Warships.

This extension to the existing phase two service contract will allow the continuation of its Class Output Management (COM) and Design Management Services (DMS) which offer through life, global support to ships.

The Class Output Management and Design Services Teams are responsible for providing a one stop shop of support to HMS Illustrious, the Hunt Class and the Type 23 Class warships as part of the Ship Support Alliance (SS(A)), an alliance between industry participants and the UK Ministry of Defence.

BAE Systems provides ‘Class’ focus by bringing together ship support roles across industry, MOD and the Royal Navy to work together in a single team and act as a single point of contact for ships at the waterfront. Our aims are to deliver improvement, efficiencies and flexibility to equipment design and class management activities. With a primary aim to provide the required warship availability to support the Royal Navy’s operational needs. We deliver available platforms in a sustainable and cost effective manner.

Previously saving the MOD in excess of £60million, the Alliance model is a proven solution based around the collaboration of partners at Portsmouth and Devonport naval bases. The alliance works closely together to provide the best and most cost effective solutions for the Royal Navy customer.

High levels of availability have been maintained across all in scope classes of ships and over seventy per cent of programmes have exceeded their specified targets. Improvements in safety, efficiency and operations have all been achieved as a result of the Class Output Management process.

Richard Dingley, Fleet Services Director, BAE Systems Maritime Services said: “The extension to the Surface Ship Support contract is hugely important. It will allow BAE Systems to continue delivering platform availability to the Fleet, it gives us the space to build on our successes, and constantly improve upon the service we provide through our business improvement programme."

As well as the ships under the Surface Ship Support programme, BAE Systems will also provide through life support to the Royal Navy's three River class vessels and all 6 of the new Type 45 Destroyers.